I'm going to have about $16,000 to spend. My wife is having our first child in March. The Jeep would be my daily driver and would rarely have the car seat in it. I work as a Corrections Officer and travel around 90 miles round trip daily. My only "musts" are less than 50,000 miles and must have a hard top. I can't afford one later on, a softop is much more managable. Manual or auto, I don't care...Manual prefered. Is a Wrangler going to meet these needs? I'm not going to be boonin, I do hunt and OK has seen alot of snow the last 3 years. Anyone have a carseat in their Wrangler? Is $16,000 going to be enough? Thanks guys. This site really is one of the better forums I've ever seen.

friedfish

12-02-2010 04:57 AM

I spent just over $16,000 on my 05 LJ. (Wrangler unlimited) its got a hard top and a automatic. It only has 57,xxx miles when I bought it.

I could see haveing a car seat in it would be a PITA. Being the unlimited its streched 15 inches over a standard wrangler. Lots of room for doing things. My TJ friends are pissed at all the room I have. When your child gets older and into a booster seat there gonna enjoy climbing around dads truck and rideing around. I say go for it. I would try to find a unlimited for the room and ride comfort with the longer wheelbase.

Bruck

12-02-2010 05:01 AM

I have 2 booster seats in the Jeep and the kids absolutely love it. Back when my first son was born and he was in the reverse seat I had a 99 TJ and I remember that being a bit of a pain. I actually sold it and bought a Pathfinder. Couldn't take not having a Jeep and came back to it a few years later though! How old are your kids?

InfernoGirl

12-02-2010 08:47 AM

:) His kids aren't born yet....

If you don't have to take junior somewhere every day, you'll probably be fine. I promise you are going to want to buy 2 car seats, because moving them all the time gets old really quick. But a 2 door and car seats are a pain, no matter what, at least with a Wrangler you have some head room... Brought our second child home from the hospital in a Dodge Raider (basically a Wrangler) we did fine with it for several years, and I hauled her everywhere in it, as it was my DD. Of course I was younger and more agile then....

Welcome to the forum, don't forget to wave!

coolbreeze

12-02-2010 09:12 AM

In 1968 I had a 68 Jeepster soft top and a new baby. DD? It was our only ride :D Had a lot of fun with that rig and the baby slept through most of it.
Welcome :wavey:

derfC

12-02-2010 09:20 AM

I had a full-sized, regular cab Chevy truck when my daughter was born... worked just fine for hauling her to daycare every morning (w/ the pass. airbag turned off, of course) and OK if all three of us had to go somewhere once in a while. Of course, our primary 'family' vehicle is my wife's Honda CRV.

Heck, one of my reasons for buying my JKU in the first place was b/c we were about to have our 2nd child & that meant that the family would no longer fit in my truck... it was FINALLY time for me to get something with a back seat. :D

Reckincrue

12-02-2010 10:33 AM

If you have 4 or less in your family it is great!

My oldest graduated and moved away, leaving us with 4. So we bought the Wrangler. We love it.